Enclosures which fit over openings for ceiling fans and other vent type openings around the home are well known in the prior art. A number of these devices have been developed and used in the past, but in general they have not been completely accepted by the public because of deficiencies which the present invention seeks to overcome. Many devices previously developed for this purpose are relatively expensive, unattractive, inefficient, and complex to manufacture or to mount. One such enclosure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,715 to Coomes et al. This patent shows a simple cover apparatus for a room air register. This device uses L-shaped hooks to hold a rectangular shaped insulating pad over a register. The device has no sealing around its outside periphery, is quite unattractive, and is held in place in some cases by conventional adhesive material which of course would be insufficient to hold a massive enclosure as is normally used for closing and insulating ceiling fan openings.
A similar air vent cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,368 to Hempel. This device utilizes slotted holes and screws to attach a cover to an air vent. Again this device does not teach a fastening means which is suitable for convenient installation and holding a massive cover of the type used for ceiling fan openings.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,355 to Morrison illustrates a ventilation shutter which is not intended to insulate but simply to close a shutter opening, comprises complex, metal framework, hinges, a tie bar, and latching means and is in general quite complicated, expensive to manufacture and is not adaptable for use in closing a ceiling fan opening.
Another closure device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,018 to Taulman. This patent discloses a closure for foundation vents which, as the other cited patents, is designed for a small closure. It is not suitable to meet the requirements for closing a large ceiling fan opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,821,895 to Allabaugh, as in previously cited patents, provides a closure for a ventilation opening which is quite different than the subject invention in that it employs a series of spring-loaded hooks for holding a cover in place over an opening in a house foundation. The device shows none of the features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,483,102 and 4,287,815 to Edwards and Henderson, respectively, show closure devices which are intended for use with ceiling fan openings or the like. However, in each case, the devices require complex and expensive extrustion or fabrication of the framework and hinge assemblies used therein, and do not provide the surface contact required for complete sealing of a fan opening. The Edwards patent, for example, requires a complex series of seals and framework to accomplish its function and provides a rather unattractive enclosure as does the cover assembly of Henderson which uses a plurality of U-shaped spring members to retain the enclosure in place. It is apparent that such use of several parts as in Henderson is quite disadvantageous from the standpoint of its complexity of mounting as well as the number of elements which the homeowner must retain when storing the device.
In view of the foregoing discussion, it will be apparent that existing closures do not provide a truly effective insulator which is simple to install yet inexpensive and attractive. Moreover, these prior art devices do not provide an insulating enclosure for use with a typical recessed ceiling exhaust fan. These fans are not used during winter when the heating system is in use or in summer when the air conditioner is in use. Thus it will be appreciated that during changeable weather an enclosure may be installed and removed quite often.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an effective insulating enclosure for a recessed ceiling exhaust fan which is simple to install and yet inexpensive.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an insulating enclosure for recessed ceiling exhaust fans which is rigidly attached to the ceiling over the existing framework of the typical ceiling fan assembly.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an insulating enclosure for a recessed ceiling fan which utilizes a surrounding attractive rectangular or square frame which is adapted to the thickness required for an insulating panel which is to be placed therein.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device which may be installed one end at a time and swung into place so as to be easily installed or removed by one person.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a cooperating sealing system between an insulating panel and its framework which provides the maximum sealing, and insulting, surface around the periphery of the panel.